Vape and Cigarette Sales Slump Amid UK Crackdown, NielsenIQ Says

Sales of vapes, cigarettes and other tobacco products slumped more than any other grocery category in the UK, a survey showed, a sign that tighter regulations and health concerns are curbing smoking habits.

A drop of 12.7% in the 12 months ended Sept. 6 represents just over £1 billion ($1.3 billion) of lost sales, according to NielsenIQ data published Saturday. At the same time, the consumer insights firm said products to help stop smoking altogether — such as gum, lozenges and sprays — were the best-performing category in terms of volume, up almost 24%.